Chapter 531
But I had to check on Christian even if the threat of Daunator showing up in my head was terrifying. I could hear Brandon washing his hands and figured I had a second to pop into the other Guardian’s head, just to make sure he was alive. He was—but he was asleep, which was so weird because Guardians sleep so little, but I was glad. It must be so horrible being down there. Sleep might be the only peace possible.
“Sorry about that, Brandon said, wiping his hands on his jeans. “Do you want something for breakfast?”
I was tempted to say yes, to pretend like everything was fine and we hadn’t spent the last few days apart, but I couldn’t do that. We’d have to talk before we could move on, and Cadence needed me. “No, that’s okay. I should probably go. I have to check in with my sister.” I ran my hands through my hair and stood up.
“Oh, okay.” I hated making his face look like that, like I’d just crushed his spirit again. I suddenly felt like I was the one who’d broken up with him, but that hadn’t been the case, and he needed to remember that.
“Maybe we can talk later. If you want to,” I offered, standing up and moving toward the door. I didn’t want another argument, but I also knew I didn’t feel like myself without Brandon in my life. Even if we decided we were better off as friends, we needed to fix this.
He took a few steps forward. “Sure. Just let me know when you’re done with work.”
“’Kay. Uh, thanks again for your help last night and letting me hang.” Whether he realized it or not, he was situated between me and the door, and I couldn’t easily get through.
“Yeah, any time.” He smiled at me, and I knew he meant it. No matter what was going on between us, if I needed help, Brandon would help me. And I would always do the same thing for him.
But he was still standing in my way. I took another step toward the door and thought about how weird it might be if I just used my power to move him, but he caught on then and I moved around him as his hand flew to the back of his neck like it always does when he isn’t sure what to say.
I stepped out into the hallway, but I had trouble taking my hand off the doorknob as I thought about the barriers between us. I accidentally popped into Brandon’s head and knew he hadn’t moved away either, that his hand was on the doorknob, too. He was contemplating coming after me, telling me he was sorry, that he still loved me.
I hadn’t meant to see all of that, so I didn’t stay. As hard as it was, I moved on down the hallway, knowing I had things to do, people to save, all of that important stuff that had wedged its way between us.
Nervous about what Cadence was going to say to me, I answered her IAC message as casually as I could and entered my apartment, heading straight for the bathroom and the shower. I didn’t want to betray Christian’s trust, as odd as it sounded even to me, but he needed help. I decided to try to get Cadence and Aaron to ask Heather. She didn’t have any promises to Christian, but she could do the same thing I could, even if it would take a little more time.
My protein shake tasted a little lumpy, but it would do. I needed to get to the office and get this over with, even though I would be a few minutes early for the time we’d agreed upon. I was about to head to the door when a heavy knock on it jarred me, and I almost spilled strawberry protein mix all over my T-shirt.
That knock was familiar, even though I didn’t hear it as much as I used to. I took a deep breath and opened the door, knowing before it swung open that Elliott was on the other side. He had an expression on his face that made my stomach begin to twist. Something was up. Something not good.
“Hey, lil girl. You got a minute?”
Nope. Not when you’re looking at me like that. I couldn’t say that, though. “I’m supposed to go meet the bosses in a second, but sure.” As much as I wanted to push him off, he was a persistent sort of fellow, so I may as well get it over with. I offered him a seat on the couch and sat down on the other end, leaving a significant amount of space between us.
Elliott didn’t speak for a moment. He folded his hands between his knees and concentrated, as if whatever he wanted to say to me was painful, and for a moment, I felt like he was my dad instead of my ex-boyfriend’s. It didn’t seem like the sort of conversation one has with a friend. Rather, I felt every single one of the fifty-ish years he has on me.
Eventually, he turned his head to look at me and said, “I’m worried about you.”
My eyebrows shot up. That wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. “Me? Why?” I took a drink of my shake but my hands were shaking, and even with my powers, I couldn’t control them, so I sat it down and put my hands underneath my legs, waiting.
“I’ve known you a really long time, since you were in diapers, and I can tell when you’re keepin’ somethin’ to yourself, even better than your sister can, I think.”
Until that moment, I didn’t realize you can actually feel blood draining out of your face, but you can. It feels sort of like when you’re about to pass out. I felt a rush of hot air and the world went a little dizzy. He knew. How he knew, I didn’t know. But he definitely knew.
